Get Suarez! City WILL bid for the Liverpool star in the winter window
Champions want to make a statement as they battle Man United and Chelsea for the title and are ready to offer £40m as an opening gambit
Manchester City will launch an audacious £40million bid for Luis Suarez in January.
Premier League champions City are ready to offer a massive show of strength in the title race with a stunning attempt to prise away Liverpool’s main asset.
They will, of course, face stiff resistance from the Reds, who know that losing their talismanic striker would be a body blow.
But City manager Roberto Mancini wants to make a statement of intent as he looks to reinforce his position at the club, amid suggestions that he now needs to win the title again to keep his job.
Mancini will start that process by allowing controversial striker Mario Balotelli to leave when the transfer window opens in January, and he will immediately attempt to invest those funds in Suarez.
The Italian boss has already sounded out Atletico Madrid over their highly rated striker Radamel Falcao, who has a £48m release clause in his contract.
But the Colombian superstar has hinted he would prefer a move to Chelsea.
So Mancini will instead attempt to shore up his increasingly precarious position with a move for Suarez, even though he knows Liverpool will fight to keep him.
Liverpool paid Ajax £24m for the striker, who has carried the team almost single-handedly this season, in January 2011, and if the money on the table gets towards double that figure they would have difficulty turning it down.
Realistically, City will open the bidding at around the £40m mark, but that will represent merely the opening skirmishes, and if the Manchester club’s power brokers decide to back their manager, then the figure is more likely to rise towards £50m.
That is the fee that Chelsea eventually paid for Fernando Torres when they snatched him from Liverpool in the same transfer window that took Suarez to Anfield, and a profit of £26m would give first-year Reds boss Brendan Rodgers the funds he needs to rebuild the squad.
Rodgers has admitted that he requires at least three or four new faces to turn Liverpool around.
Selling Suarez, hailed by Kop team-mate Jamie Carragher this week as the Prem's best player, would give him the finance to do that - although he would need to balance any sale of the Uruguayan against the massive impact it would have on his team.
Liverpool’s position in any negotiations will be strengthened by the fact that Suarez only signed a new four-year contract in August, taking his salary to £120,000 but City could comfortably extend that deal.
Rodgers desperately needs more striking options - Suarez is the only fit senior striker at the club, after Andy Carroll was loaned to West Ham for the season and Fabio Borini was injured last month, but has responded by becoming the Premier League’s top scorer.
The striker himself has told Rodgers he wants to stay at Liverpool long term, and when he signed a new deal last summer he explained to the Anfield faithful: “I hope to play for many years here. This is a great team and everyone around the world knows Liverpool.”
Yet City can not only offer him a huge pay increase, they can also provide an instant battle for honours as they prepare to slug it out with Manchester United and Chelsea in the title race.
Balotelli has said he wants to stay at Eastlands, but he seems to have finally snapped the patience of his manager after being caught partying late at night before Sunday's game against Spurs.
Big-spending Paris Saint-Germain will be interested in a player who was a big hit at last summer's European Championship.
Liverpool know the only way they can sell Suarez - after facing a fan backlash when Torres left 22 months ago - would be to sign a ready-made replacement, just as they did when they brought the South American in by spending the Chelsea money.
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Barcelona midfielder unaware of Man City interest
Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets confirmed his interest in continuing his career at the Nou Camp and denied knowledge of any overtures from the English giant Manchester City.
Busquets who has risen through the academy ranks at Barcelona and is a Catalan by birth, has seen remarkable progress in his career under the supervision of the ex-Barca manager Pep Guardiola. To date, he has had a glittering collection of silverware with 14 trophies for the club in four full seasons and has been an assured presence in the defensive midfield position for both club and country.
It is believed that Roberto Mancini is interested in signing Busquets in his pursuit of forming a squad that can fight for both English and European glory simultaneously and is ready even to break the record for the biggest budget transfer in England. But in an interview to Cope Radio as noted by talkSPORT, Busquets has poured water on such rumours.
“I do not know if City have spoken to my club or my representatives, I know as much as you,” said Busquets.
“I’m just living in the present and I am very happy. I would hope to continue at this club for many year but I like to live in the present and no one knows what will happen in the future.”
It is understood that Manchester City are willing to splash a staggering sum of £60m for his services while the player has a release clause of £121m in his current contract.
Mike Summerbee happy with Manchester City late shows
Mike Summerbee is loving City’s new found ability to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
Sergio Aguero’s Premier League title winner against QPR last season was the ultimate moment of Blues’ brinksmanship.
But Roberto Mancini’s side have carried on their great escapes this season, including last Sunday’s 2-1 comeback success over Spurs.
It’s led to concerns among some fans that City aren’t killing off teams early enough.
However, legendary winger Summerbee (below) has no problem with the Houdini style breakouts.
“Manchester United do it every week, so what is the problem?,” said Summerbee. “As long as you win the game, that’s what it is all about.
“People keep talking about all these late goals recently but what’s the difference with United doing it?. You can score in the first minute, just before half time or the last minute.
That’s what makes it so exciting.”
Summerbee collected Mancini’s manager of the year prize at the NW Football awards at Lancashire CCC on Monday night.
And he was happy to spring to the defence of his boss and his beloved City’s displays this season.
Asked about the Blues disappointing Champions League form Summerbee replied: “It took United four years to qualify for the knockout stages and it took Arsenal three years.
“So, let me just say to you now, it is not a problem.There is a long way to go in the season.”
And he clearly believes there’s no need for a change at the top.
“Roberto Mancini has won all the honours you could think of. He was an exceptional footballer. He has then come to this country and won three trophies already. What more can you ask from a manager?
“So, he deserved the award. We have a style of play that suits the players and we have a good squad.
“It’s great to watch, great entertainment,” added Summerbee.
Mario Balotelli doesn't want Manchester City 'divorce', says agent
Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli will stay at the club despite interest from AC Milan, says his agent.
The inconsistent striker was left out of Roberto Mancini’s City squad on Sunday to face Tottenham, but Mino Raiola said: ‘His relationship with Mancini is like that of husband and wife. They argue but love and respect each other. Mario will be a City player for at least another two and a half years.’
However, Balotelli’s national coach has painted a different picture, and insists the Italian is frustrated with his lack of game time at the Ethiad.
‘Mario is a bit upset about being left out by Mancini, who I know only did it for technical reasons,’ said Cesare Prandelli.
‘But he shouldn’t take it to heart, Mancini just thinks others are in better form.
‘Clearly he’s not satisfied with what he’s been doing, but Mario has to show that he deserves his place every day in training. He’ll get his chance to prove him wrong.’
Falcao’s flying in
RADAMEL FALCAO has put Manchester City and Chelsea on red alert by hinting he is ready to move to England.
Stamford Bridge boss Roberto Di Matteo and Etihad chief Roberto Mancini are ready to slug it out in a £45million fight for the Colombian international goal machine in January.
Falcao, 26, has fired 49 goals in 60 games for Atletico Madrid.
He said: “The opportunity of playing in a different league will come at the right time.
“I don’t stop dreaming — on the contrary, I know at some point I might want to move to a different team.”
Roy Hodgson backing Joe Hart after errors.
England boss Roy Hodgson insists he has no fears over the form of goalkeeper Joe Hart
Almost since the 2010 World Cup, Hart has seemed like the one player England cannot do without.
Yet mistakes that have crept into his game at Manchester City have spilled onto the international scene as well.
Last night, there were a couple of minor errors, in addition to two major ones, the last of which allowed Zlatan Ibrahimovic to score his jaw-dropping fourth goal in Sweden's 4-2 friendly win.
"We are not bothered about Joe Hart," said Hodgson.
"He is a very good goalkeeper. We think we will have a lot of success with him in the goal even if tonight it wasn't maybe one of his best days, this happens in football."
Indeed, Hodgson was pretty upbeat despite the loss of his unbeaten record as England boss in open play - his only previous defeat coming on penalties at Euro 2012.
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Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is deciding whether to join a Premier League club. The £7m-rated Schalke forward, 29, has been attracting interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool. Sun
Liverpool are plotting a £5m move for Blackpool's attacking midfielder Thomas Ince, a little more than a year after they let the 20-year-old academy product leave Anfield on a free transfer. Daily Mirror
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Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina, 30, is wanted by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger in the January transfer window. Metro
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Midfielder Joey Barton, 30, wants to stay at French club Marseille beyond his season-long loan from QPR. Daily Mirror
Norwich manager Chris Hughton has put a striker top of his January shopping list after scoring just eight goals in the Premier League so far this season. Arsenal's Marouane Chamakh, 28, and West Ham's Carlton Cole, 29, are among his early targets. DSSC
England captain Steven Gerrard has rejected the advice of Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and insists he has no intention of quitting Liverpool to join a 'bigger' club. Metro
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The takeover of Birmingham City by Gianni Paladini's Italian consortium is moving closer - with the former QPR chairman hopeful a deal can be struck within 10 days. Birmingham Mail
Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, 25, will have talks with manager Andre Villas-Boas as France's number one seeks assurances over his future. Daily Mirror
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan believes manager Roberto Martinez is destined for the top of European football. Manchester Evening News
Former Manchester United forward Eric Cantona says he wants to follow in Sir Alex Ferguson's footsteps and manage the Old Trafford club. Daily Mirror
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